The present invention relates to a remote controller with recording and playback functions for connection to playback equipment, such as a cassette tape player, to enable repetitive practice in applications such as language study.
Recording and playback equipment, such as tape recorders, have been used for many years as devices for aiding the study of language and other subjects. Recording and playback devices, specially designed for language study, are commonly available. These specialized language study devices include functions such as repeat, whereby the user can repeatedly listen to important passages, and overlap recording, whereby the users voice is overlapped on the playback sound.
In addition to specialized equipment, the use of ordinary audio cassette tape recorders for language and other studies is also commonplace. In order to repeatedly play an important passage using an ordinary audio cassette tape recorder, the recorded tape must be rewound and set to play for each repeated play. Also, since the user's voice cannot be overlap recorded on the playback sound, study usually proceeds by listening only to the prerecorded sound.
Specialized language study recording and playback devices include functions such as repeat, which are absent from ordinary audio cassette tape players, in order to improve effectiveness as a study aid. Consequently, when using such equipment for study, specialized software must be purchased in addition to the specialized recording and playback device hardware, thus posing a considerable economic burden on the user.
When using a conventional audio cassette player or similar device for language or other study, complex operation is needed to repeatedly listen to an important passage. In addition, the user's voice cannot be overlap recorded on the playback sound. For these reasons, conventional audio cassette players or similar devices do not provide an effective tool for study purposes. Furthermore, general purpose audio cassette tape players were developed with the objective of playing music, not designed to repeatedly rewind and play back in a very short time. Consequently, there is a risk of damaging switches from excess operation; such operation is not desirable from the viewpoint of durability.
In view of the above, the need arises for a simple device capable of providing the effectiveness of specialized equipment when used in combination with a conventional general purpose device, such as an audio cassette tape player.